Joint Academic Research Projects

Two years ago, I moved to Austria with curiosity in my heart and a question in my mind: What if Austrian and Indian universities could do more together? This week, that “what if” felt more real than ever. TU Austria (a network of TU Wien, TU Graz, and Montanuniversität Leoben) this week has launched a powerful initiative with India, supported by €5 million in funding from the Austrian Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy. This isn't just another exchange program. It’s a strategic bridge — rooted in academic diplomacy, built on trust and excellence, and aimed at addressing the global challenges of our time: 📌 Circular economy 📌 Climate-neutral technologies 📌 Sustainable infrastructure 📌 AI and digitalization As someone who has worked for a decade at the intersection of academia, innovation, and international collaboration — from Indian universities to top US institutions, and now actively engaging with Austrian universities — I see this as a defining moment. A moment to: 🎯 Co-create joint research labs 🎯 Launch PhD exchange programs with dual supervision 🎯 Design transdisciplinary academic-industry clusters between Austria and India 🎯 Develop curriculum and mobility models for the future of STEM education This is where I’d love to contribute — as a consultant and bridge-builder for universities in both countries. Helping map opportunities, facilitate strategic dialogues, and enable world-class programs that serve both nations — and the planet. 📢 To university leaders, deans, researchers, and innovation offices — let’s talk. Because when two strong academic cultures come together, we don’t just exchange students. We exchange futures. Read more about the initiative: https://lnkd.in/dfvprh4U (English summary also available via TU Austria) #AustriaIndia #AcademicDiplomacy #JointResearch #HigherEducation #CircularEconomy #GlobalCollaboration #TUAustria #InnovationBridges

In research, we often face unexpected challenges that test our creativity and adaptability. Recently, we encountered two such situations: 1. VR Equipment available but no student sample available (Summer Holidays) 🌞: With the summer break approaching, our usual pool of student participants was unavailable at Maastricht University School of Business and Economics, which would delay data collection until September. 2. Access to a student participant pool, but no VR equipment, and no way to run the study online🧑🎓: Conversely, Sören Köcher had eager students ready to participate but lacked the necessary VR equipment and expertise at TU Dortmund University. These challenges, however, led to a unique opportunity. We decided to collaborate with our colleagues Sören Köcher and Sarah Köcher (Kiel University) for a joint data collection. Here’s how we approached it: 1. Mobile research setup: We transported our VR equipment, laptops, and mobile wifi router from the DEXLab to TU Dortmund, ensuring that we could proceed with our experiments in a new setting. 2. Leveraging collaborative networks: By working together with Soeren and Sarah, we combined resources and expertise, enriching the research experience and ensuring effective data collection. 3. Engaging a new sample: Conducting the experiment at TU Dortmund (in German) allowed us to access a new and diverse group of participants, enhancing the generalizability our data. 💡 Takeaway: Challenges often bring opportunities for collaboration and innovation. By having access to a lab with mobile technology, leveraging our networks and thinking creatively, we turned potential delays into a successful data collection moment. #ResearchInnovation #VR #Collaboration #ProblemSolving #Flexibility #ResearchLife #TUDortmund #LinkedInResearchCommunity

When multiple organizations, universities, or startups come together for joint R&D, the question always arises: Who owns the resulting IP? 🤝 The key lies in clear agreements on: 1️⃣ Ownership Rights – Joint or split based on contribution. 2️⃣ Licensing Models – Exclusive or non-exclusive. 3️⃣ Commercialization Strategy – Royalty sharing, milestone payments, or equity-based returns. 4️⃣ Future Improvements – How derivative innovations will be managed. 🤝Consider a university-industry collaboration where the university develops the core algorithm and the company integrates it into a market-ready product. 1️⃣ The university retains patent ownership, 2️⃣ The industry partner gains commercialization rights under an exclusive license, 3️⃣ Revenues are shared as royalties, fueling both further research and market growth. 🤝 Google & NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration partnered on developing advanced quantum computing through D-Wave Systems. 1️⃣ NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration contributed its expertise in solving optimization problems, 2️⃣ Google worked on algorithms and machine learning integration, 3️⃣ Both parties agreed on shared IP ownership but exclusive commercialization pathways for certain applications. 🤝This meant: 💙 NASA could use the innovation for space and defense research, 💙Google could commercialize it in cloud and AI platforms. 💙Both gained value without blocking each other’s growth. 🤝With the right IP sharing framework, joint R&D is not just about invention it's about balancing rights, rewards, and responsibilities. #IPR #JointR&D #InnovationStrategy #TechnologyTransfer #Patents #Commercialization

🔬 How did it all begin? A reflection on scientific curiosity, trust, and international collaboration. During Prof. Roland A. Fischer’s recent visit to the São Carlos Institute of Chemistry – USP Campus São Carlos, one question stood out: “How did this successful collaboration begin?” To answer that, we must rewind to 2017. Back then, I received an email from Jana Wessing (just verified in my emails), a group member in Prof. Fischer’s lab at the Technical University of Munich. She had just read our 2016 paper in J. Phys.: Condens. Matter on Cu–Al nanoclusters and wrote: "Since I am working on the synthesis of intermetallic clusters... comparing your optimized structures to our experimental data in terms of structure and bonding situations is most intriguing." We were happy to share the structures—but we didn’t stop there. Seeing the potential, I invited Dr. Augusto C. H. Da Silva, a postdoc in my group with a strong background in metal complexes (PhD under Prof. Douglas W. Franco at IQSC), to dive into the computational modeling of ligand-stabilized Cu/Al clusters. From Roland’s side, we later learned that Jana had walked into his office saying, “I found a good contact .......” That "contact" sparked an intense and fruitful scientific dialogue. ⚗️ Our first joint effort culminated in a cover article in Angewandte Chemie (2018) --- Figure below. One of our papers at the Center for Innovation on New Energies. Since then, our collaboration has expanded, evolved, and deepened—resulting in several impactful publications across diverse journals. 🌟 This year, in 2025, our shared work reached a milestone with a publication in Nature Chemistry. What started from a single email has grown into a story of mutual respect, shared goals, and scientific synergy. Let this be a reminder: never underestimate the power of reaching out—and of saying yes to opportunity. Thanks for Jana Wessing. As I’ve told my students many times: if you read a paper and still have unanswered questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to the authors. #ScientificCollaboration #MaterialsChemistry #ComputationalChemistry #Organometallics #NatureChemistry #TUM #USP #ResearchJourney #ScienceStory #AngewandteChemie